Wee bit of geography here, the New starts in NC, I think, and they've been getting pounded by rain there. A big bubble has shown up at the Galax gauge on the New which is in Virginia. Like a 13,000 cfs bubble. That bubble has to find it's way through a reservoir or two on its way to the gorge but I am thinking "really low water" will not be in our vocabulary this coming weekend.
Ken Dubel
O.C.T. Labor Day New River Rendezvous
Moderators: admins, GinnyN, mod1, mod3, Raymond, slo2rol, mod2
paddle where the water is
I am persuaded that Elk Creek, a lovely 3 mile stretch of steady class 3, will have water tomorrow. It is near Galax. If I can't get any company, I might aim for a run on easier Little Reed Island Creek, whcih I have had my eye on for several years.
Give me a holler if you want to paddle. I will probably leave Blacksburg around noon.
Fay is the Sweetheart of the Southern Appalachians.
Give me a holler if you want to paddle. I will probably leave Blacksburg around noon.
Fay is the Sweetheart of the Southern Appalachians.
Is there any way to figure what the Gorge will do this weekend? I know there are dams in the way. So how much do they hold up? Considering how little rain we've had, I wouldn't be surprised if they suck up all the water.
“...And Lord, we are especially thankful for nuclear power, the cleanest, safest energy source there is. Except for solar, which is just a pipe dream.” Homer Simpson
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unclefuzzy
- Swimmin'
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- Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:22 pm
- Location: Canvas, WV
Flows on the New in WV
The only significant dam that I know of between Glen Lyn and the NRG is Bluestone. According to the Huntington COE web page, the level at Bluestone Lake is very close to summer pool. My GUESS is that the COE will be increasing the release from Bluestone Dam when the bubble of water gets to the lake. With 11,000+ cfs at Glen Lyn, we could see close to that being released from Bluestone Dam in the next day or two.
Whatever they release will be at Hinton very quickly since Hinton is just a few miles below the dam. It will take roughly 20-24 hours for the water to get to Thurmond and NRG.
Meanwhile, the COE cut the release from Summersville Dam on the Gauley to 146 cfs (BUMMER).
Whatever they release will be at Hinton very quickly since Hinton is just a few miles below the dam. It will take roughly 20-24 hours for the water to get to Thurmond and NRG.
Meanwhile, the COE cut the release from Summersville Dam on the Gauley to 146 cfs (BUMMER).
Tough call on expected levels on the New around Fayetteville. Looking way upstream to Galax in VA, we are down to 4,800 cfs. Projecting that down to the NRG puts it at something like 2-1/2 feet at Fayette Station. How long until it drops that far? I don't know but would wild-guess it by Monday latest and maybe even by Saturday or Sunday.
This is all most likely good news for folks wanting to run upper sections of the New in WV. I don't recall absolute specifics here but it seems to me four feet at Fayette Station made for a day of bigger good-clean-fun friendly wave trains with deep water for the occasional swimmer and shorter, faster-moving pools.
IMPORTANT TEMPERATURE NOTE, it's been halfway chilly around here lately and the forecast is for lows in the fifties in WV. Calling for highs in the 70's to 80's so you might want to break out something warmer than just skin.
Ken Dubel
This is all most likely good news for folks wanting to run upper sections of the New in WV. I don't recall absolute specifics here but it seems to me four feet at Fayette Station made for a day of bigger good-clean-fun friendly wave trains with deep water for the occasional swimmer and shorter, faster-moving pools.
IMPORTANT TEMPERATURE NOTE, it's been halfway chilly around here lately and the forecast is for lows in the fifties in WV. Calling for highs in the 70's to 80's so you might want to break out something warmer than just skin.
Ken Dubel
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Dave K's Agent
- Class I
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- Contact:
I got the below from my sources.
I’d confirm it before heading over there.
I’d confirm it before heading over there.
wrote: Hey everybody,
I just wanted to remind everyone of a really cool event coming up this weekend...The Reel Paddling Film Festival. It is this Saturday (8/30) at ACE @ 6PM. This event is FREE!
Ken Kruger will start off the evening with live music right at 6 and the movies will start around dusk. Cheap cold beer, sumo wrestling, hot food, and incredible gear sales will be plentiful. Tug, from AAG, says he wants to sell as much stuff as possible so he doesn't have to go to Gauley Fest! He even said he'll make it cheaper just so he doesn't have to drive the gear to Summersville!
The silent auction is sure to be a hit as well. PFDs, throwbags, hats, t-shirts, hammocks for ENO, cabin rentals, and several other gifts can be won while there too. So, bring cash!
The Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour is an international event presenting the world's best whitewater, sea kayaking and canoeing action and lifestyle films of the year on screens in 75 cities across Canada, United States, and around the world.
We are partnering with the West Virginia Rivers Coalition for this event. WVRC's mission is to "seek the conservation and restoration of West Virginia's exceptional rivers and streams".
The Festival is FREE and Camping is available for $12/person per night!
We look forward to seeing everyone! be safe!
Word from the highways is our boys in blue are working the radar bigtime.
The flow at Hinton, which is about twelve hours upstream of the New Gorge has dropped to around 7,000 cfs. This is roughly the better part of four feet at Fayette Station. Pretty beefy still but some parts actually get easier. I do not consider this a good first timers level at all.
This almost certainly knocks the Dries out of the picture.
This also is almost certainly a nice level for the upper sections but know the waves will be quite a bit bigger than in low water years.
The Gauley has been largely "turned off" as they no longer need its flow in the Kanawha.
This big water has been "imported" from North Carolina. The rest of West Virginia is pretty low.
Cheers,
Ken Dubel
The flow at Hinton, which is about twelve hours upstream of the New Gorge has dropped to around 7,000 cfs. This is roughly the better part of four feet at Fayette Station. Pretty beefy still but some parts actually get easier. I do not consider this a good first timers level at all.
This almost certainly knocks the Dries out of the picture.
This also is almost certainly a nice level for the upper sections but know the waves will be quite a bit bigger than in low water years.
The Gauley has been largely "turned off" as they no longer need its flow in the Kanawha.
This big water has been "imported" from North Carolina. The rest of West Virginia is pretty low.
Cheers,
Ken Dubel